Depicting a sensuous pastoral world of shepherds, nymphs and musicians, these pictures are all the more extraordinary for having been painted during the turmoil of the English Civil War and its aftermath.

This exhibition, which ran from 11 October 2012 to 13 January 2013, gathered together some of the most beautiful and seductive paintings made in 17th-century England.

Peter Lely: The Draughtsman and his Collection

In addition to achieving renown as a painter, Peter Lely amassed one of England’s first great collections of drawings.

A display of a selection of drawings from Lely’s collection was on view in The Courtauld Gallery to complement the exhibition Peter Lely: A Lyrical Vision.

Lely’s own drawings were displayed alongside works from his collection. Primarily hand and drapery studies, these delicate sketches provide a glimpse into Lely’s practice as a portraitist. A special highlight is his Two heralds in ceremonial dress, a beautiful and highly detailed costume study of figures in a procession of the Order of the Garter (detail above).

Taken together, these drawings reveal a more private side of Lely, as worthy of exploration as his sparkling paintings.

Read a blog post about Peter Lely: The Draughtsman and His Collection by Dr Rachel Sloan, Assistant Curator of Works on Paper.